Düsseldorf, Brussels Elon Musk is controversial, but his power is undisputed. At the beginning of Russia’s major invasion, the US billionaire made his Starlink satellite network available to the Ukrainians. The internet service from space allows Ukrainian soldiers to exchange target data for artillery pieces.
But what Musk gives, Musk can also withhold. When Ukraine planned a drone attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet last year, he refused to extend the Starlink connection to the Crimean Peninsula, as he explained on his platform “X”, formerly Twitter. The attack failed.
According to the EU leaders, nothing less than the continent’s security order will be decided in the Ukraine war. Musk, however, is a private entrepreneur, he has his own agenda and is not bound by instructions.
“We are completely dependent on a man who thinks he can do geopolitics,” complains Green European politician Niklas Nienaß. There are plans in Brussels to change that. However, it is unclear whether and when they can be implemented. This is also because the member states have long neglected space policy.
Above all, Germany. Now, of all times, the federal government wants to cut funding for the European Space Agency, Esa, and national space travel by around 15 percent. The lack of interest is also evident in the new space strategy that the Ministry of Economic Affairs has been working on for months. Expectations in the space industry are great: it has been more than a decade since the last publication, and Germany is currently chairing the ESA Council of Ministers Conference.
German space strategy is not very concrete
But a draft of the new strategy leaves little to be expected. The paper from the Federal Ministry of Economics is available exclusively to the Handelsblatt. “New times, new relevance” is what it says. But the suggestions are of a general nature. A lot of inventory is taken on just 24 pages, the “goals and measures” are generalities such as: “Germany is committed to ensuring that Esa maintains its independence as the space agency of the member states.” Or you want to expand international cooperation and strategic partnerships. Start-ups and smaller companies should be supported. How exactly remains unclear.
The proposals are “strongly politically influenced,” says a space expert. There is a lot of talk about “space debris” and “climate protection,” but little about specific projects such as rocket launch sites or geodata centers. The German space commissioner Anna Christmann (Greens) is in charge of the strategy.
The industry would like to see more commitment from the federal government.
(Photo: dpa)
A spokeswoman for the ministry emphasizes that “for the sustainable and safe use of space” it is “more than necessary” to avoid and reduce space debris. It is about the “preservation of space as a global common good” and “the security of global space travel”.
The draft has been circulating in the government and related bodies for several months. However, according to an insider, the publication has been delayed due to a dispute between the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, for example over access to the planned EU satellite internet Iris 2.
With Iris 2, the EU wants to launch its own satellite constellation into space that will supply the continent with the Internet, enable tap-proof communication and can also be used for military purposes. Iris 2 is Europe’s answer to Starlink.
Read here: Power struggle in space: Satellite Internet is to become a “strategic instrument” for the EU
“It is high time that we see space as a strategic issue and develop our own European competencies,” says Nienaß, who is supporting the project in Brussels. “We need a lot more understanding at all political levels than we do now. And we need significantly more investment in the EU for space.”
The first functions of Iris 2 should be usable in 2027. The EU has provided 2.4 billion euros for this and hopes that an equal amount will flow from the private sector. But that’s just the beginning: According to estimates by space expert Ulrich Walter, professor at the Technical University of Munich, the complete construction and operation for 15 years can cost up to 50 billion euros.
France is much more active in space travel
How reserved Germany is when it comes to space travel was shown in Cologne a few days ago. Olaf Scholz (SPD) visited the Esa astronaut training center there. The head of the space agency, Josef Aschbacher, and Walther Pelzer, board member of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), came especially for the event. The German astronauts Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer were also there. “I still remember all the details of the Apollo 11 flight,” reported the Chancellor.
Nothing more than such anecdotes emerged from the visit. Those present had hoped for the presentation of the space strategy, as a high-ranking DLR employee admits.
Countries like France, however, have long recognized the importance of space. For many decades, Paris has been driving forward projects such as the European rocket Ariane and is the largest financial backer in Europe.
France’s dominance is correspondingly great. The French EU Commissioner Thierry Breton pushed the Iris 2 project forward in a hurry.
The French EU commissioner wants to make his country a leader in space.
(Photo: Getty Images; Per-Anders Pettersson)
Breton wants to position Europe as a space power. “Our space technologies have become strategic capabilities for our citizens, for the resilience of our economies and of course for our armies,” he emphasizes.
Europe lacks access to space
At the ESA Ministerial Council Conference in Paris last November, it became clear to everyone present who was in charge. It was not Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Space Commissioner Christmann as representatives of the presiding country that dominated the event, but rather EU Commissioner Breton. “The German government was pretty much taken by surprise by the project; Breton’s influence is great,” says space professor Walter.
Read here: A commissioner from Brussels is Elon Musk’s worst opponent
According to German business representatives, French interests in particular are prevailing. France has many large space and defense companies, while Germany has smaller or young companies.
The dominance of the big companies has consequences: Europe has not had access to space for many months because the new Ariane 6 rocket has been delayed for years and, at more than four billion euros, is almost twice as expensive as planned. The launch is now scheduled to take place in 2024 at the earliest. Since the first launches are already fully booked, it will be at least two years before the first Iris 2 satellites can be launched into orbit with Ariane.
The European politician Nienaß suggests using so-called micro-launchers to put Iris-2 satellites into orbit, i.e. rockets that were specially developed for smaller loads. There are promising start-ups in Germany, especially in this area. Economics Minister Habeck visited Hyimpulse, Rocket Factory and Isar Aerospace in July.
“Germany and Europe need their own access to space – this is also a question of economic security,” he said after his talks. But the skills gap cannot be addressed with words. Because of its strategic dimension, space travel should become a top priority. This is not apparent yet.
More: EU wants to challenge Elon Musk in space: Europe is planning satellite internet